Habit cessation method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus are disclosed which can be used to effect the cessation of the use of cigarettes and other habit-forming chemical substances. Said method and apparatus as disclosed in the present invention do not require the user to use or ingest any chemical compounds other than cigarettes, or said other habit forming chemical substance, or attempt to modify attitudes about smoking. The objective of the invention is to provide habit cessation technologies which create an enhanced “toxic reaction” in a user in response to the absorption of a chemical which previously did not induce said reaction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention pertains to the field of methods to aid in chemical compound habit cessation—specifically the cessation of smoking or narcotics' use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Smoking cigarettes is a habit prevalent among the world's population. Several approaches to assist a smoker to quit are in common use. In the “cold turkey” method, the smoker ceases smoking at a given time. Over 88% of former smokers report having tried unsuccessfully to quit smoking using the cold turkey method of smoking cessation (Fiore, et al. 1990. “Methods used to quit smoking in the United States. Do cessation programs help?” J Am Med Assoc 263:276-2765).

The nicotine patch and other chemical means such as those defined in patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,509 to Carroll on Nov. 12, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,576 to Farr on Oct. 5, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,645,470 to Reynolds on Nov. 11, 2003; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,449 to Wastchak, et al. on Oct. 7, 2003, are only effective on a small percentage of users. Other methods, such as those described in patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,789 to Segel, et al. on Oct. 19, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,893 to Byrd, et al. on Aug. 27, 2002, have employed behavioral modification techniques. Other methods have employed acupuncture, hypnosis, and prescription drugs.

Despite the availability of these smoking cessation aids, the success rate among motivated smokers to quit smoking is very low, approximating 7%. Because addiction to cigarette smoking is the most accepted and least expensive chemical dependency available in developed nations, a habit cessation technology is needed that will improve the percentage of success for an individual who truly wants to be free of a given habit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a unique method of inducing cigarette smoking cessation. The method is effective for the cessation of other addictive chemical compounds, but for the purposes of clear illustration we will focus on cigarette smoking habit cessation in this disclosure.

Use of the method does not require any complicated visual aids or schedules, or other devices to be effective. However, there are several unique and novel physical cuing apparatus that will be disclosed as optional related enhancements to the method disclosed. The technology does not require the user to use or ingest any additional chemical compounds other than cigarettes, or attempt to modify his attitudes about smoking. There is no reduction in the amount of cigarettes smoked during this process relative to amounts normally smoked by a user on a daily basis. For example, if the “intended quitter” smokes one package of cigarettes a day, he will keep smoking that amount throughout the process. However, there is an ideal time period—3 months—to apply the method and apparatus for optimum success. The technology can also be used for the cessation of other habit-forming substances.

The objective of the invention is to provide a habit cessation method which creates an enhanced “toxic reaction” in a user in response to the absorption of a chemical which previously did not induce said toxic reaction.

A more complete understanding of the present invention, as well as further features and advantages, will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description and drawings. Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of the habit cessation method.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a habit cessation aid signaling apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of view of a computerized habit cessation aid signaling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as detailed in FIG. 1, a habit cessation method 12 is disclosed which may, when used by an individual, be effective in the cessation of a habit supported by the absorption of chemicals into the body. For the purposes of this disclosure we will use cessation of cigarette smoking as the exemplary habit to be eliminated.

All other prior art habit cessation methods and apparatus disclose either chemical or behavioral modification technologies that attempt to either “wean” a smoker off cigarettes, or retrain his behavior and perceptions about smoking to effect habit cessation.

The present invention takes an entirely different approach that is an improvement over the prior art. In the present invention, there is no need to reduce the amount of cigarettes smoked during the course of usage of the method—relative to amounts that an individual would normally smoked on a daily basis. For example, if the individual smokes one package of cigarettes a day, he will keep smoking that amount throughout the process. However, there may be an ideal time period—approximately three months—to apply the method 12 for optimum success.

The method 12 may cause the body to develop an enhance sensitivity, or an “allergic” reaction, to nicotine. Through careful study and observation—and successfully using said method 12 personally—this inventor created the habit cessation method 12 disclosed herein.

A first time period 2, intended to be a specific length of time by the end of which a smoker 4 wishes to stop smoking is chosen by said smoker 4. Ninety days has been found to be effective for said first time period 2. For a second time period 6, which may be the first seven days of said total first time period 2, said smoker 4 makes a diligent effort to notice the normal pattern 8 during waking hours that he feels the urge to smoke a cigarette 14, and then smokes in his typical manner. For example, does said individual smoke a cigarette five minutes after waking—or is it ten minutes? Does said individual smoke a cigarette every half hour at work, or every hour? Or immediately upon drinking a cup of coffee? Or when answering a phone call from his mother? This focused self awareness activity is all part of normal pattern 8, which is indicated by a first solid flow line 13. For a remaining third time period 11, which may be the succeeding eighty three days following the completion of said second time period 6, said smoker 4 makes a diligent effort to smoke his typical daily cigarette total 16 in a random pattern 10 relative to his normal pattern 8. This activity is indicated by a second solid flow line 15. Each succeeding day is treated as a new random pattern 10 n, relative to the prior day's random pattern 10. This process relationship is indicated by a dashed flow line 17.

Approximately two thirds of the way through said method 12, a smoker 4 may be experiencing discomfort at the thought of smoking a cigarette. By the ninetieth day, said smoker 4 may likely be counting the minutes until he his able to smoke a last cigarette 14—and he may effectively be a non smoker. In fact, after several days of experiencing relief from the sweats, nausea, and generally sick feelings which have been getting progressively more enhanced, the smoker 4 is encouraged to try to smoke. In this inventor's experience, the mind may be amenable to the idea—but the body will not be!

This method 12 may work because the active chemical component of cigarettes is nicotine—a toxic compound—and said method 12 may enhance the toxic effects of nicotine on the body. Cigarette smoking is enjoyable, and addictive, because the body may release endorphins and other pain relieving “pleasurable compounds” in an effort to normalize the body as it rids itself of the toxic “invading chemical” nicotine. After a period of time—different for any smoker 4—the body approaches a normalized state and the pleasurable compounds are shut off. This causes the smoker 4 to feel a “need” to smoke—or, if you will, bring the body to a poisoned condition again, to reactivate the pleasurable compounds, and get “high”.

By randomizing the cycle times of the body's experience of a normalized state relative to a poisoned condition, the brain and the body's natural biochemical and hormone producing systems can not get a handle on how to neutralize the nicotine effects. The result may be a permanently heightened physical aversion to nicotine—or, simply put, an allergic reaction may have been induced.

As an example of the randomized timing and activities suggested by said method 12, if a user normally smokes a cigarette five minutes after waking up in the morning, the first cigarette smoked during the full extent of the method 12 may range between one minute and one hour after arising. The time period before the next cigarette is smoked may range again from one minute to one hour. As long as the user makes sure to allow random time periods to occur between each successive cigarette, the method 12 may result in the cessation of the habit of cigarette smoking.

In this inventor's experience, not only was I able to quit smoking completely on the designated ninetieth day, but I am capable of being around other smokers without ever feeling the urge to smoke. If I am in a closed environment with too much ambient smoke, I will feel nauseous and have to leave the area—but I never feel a need to smoke. I did attempt to test the effectiveness of the method 12 by inhaling a cigarette once—about six months after the date of cessation—and I felt an overwhelming sense of nausea and broke into sweats for about half an hour. That was fifteen years ago.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIG. 2 is a habit cessation apparatus comprising a case body 32 means configured to contain a first programmable electronic circuit 34 means. Said circuit 34 may be a four bit microprocessor or similar integrated circuit device readily available at any electronic supply store. At least one first input signal 38 means, which may be a momentary contact switch mounted to said case body 32, and a second input signal 40 means, which may also be a momentary contact switch mounted to case body 32, said signal means 38 and signal means 40 being electrically coupled to, and configured to provide memorizable signals to said first electronic circuit 34 means mounted within case body 32. Pressing said first input signal 38 means and said second input signal 40 means at the same time may initiate a ninety day output pulse timing sequence 42 configured within said first electronic circuit 34, and indicated as having been activated by a red LED 44 which is mounted to said case body 32.

Said red LED 44 may be activated by a second electronic circuit 35, also mounted within said case body 32 and electrically coupled to first electronic circuit 34. Said second electronic circuit 35 may be a “five fifty five” (555) timer integrated circuit—or equivalent device readily available at any electronic supply store—capable of outputting variable voltage pulses. Said first electronic circuit 34, and said second electronic circuit 35 are electrically coupled to, and powered by a power source 37 means, which may be a lithium battery mounted within case body 32.

For a first time period 56 of several days, a user clicks said first input signal 38 means every time a cigarette is smoked, and smokes in his typical manner. Said first time period 56 may be seven days. At the completion of said first time period 56, said red LED 44 and a green LED 58, also physically mounted to case body 32, may glow together for a second time period 60, in response to electrical signals generated by said first electronic circuit 34, and processed by said second electronic circuit 35, and triggered by voltage pulses 36, to indicate a change in function of the apparatus. Said second time period 60 may be one hour. Following the completion of said second time period 60, the length of which may have been programmed into said first electronic circuit 34 at manufacture using assembly code, and during the full extent of a third time period 62, which may be eighty three days, the length of which also may have been programmed into said first electronic circuit 34 at manufacture, said green LED 46 may flash for a fourth time period 54 every time a user is supposed to smoke a cigarette. After a five minute period said green LED 46 may cease flashing after a user presses said second signal input 40 means. Said red LED and said green LED may be replaced or augmented by an auditory signaling means 70, which may also be electrically coupled to second electronic circuit 35 and triggered by voltage pulses 36.

Said first electronic circuit 34 means and said second electronic circuit 35 means may be programmed and configured to illuminate green LED 46 randomly throughout a twelve hour waking day period. As an example, for a one pack per day smoker, there may be twenty, thirty six minute smoking “periods” in a day. So the apparatus in accordance with the invention disclosed in FIG. 2 will never allow more than one and a half hours to elapse between signaled cigarette smoking periods, and will sometimes force the smoker to inhale three cigarettes in a fifteen or thirty six minute period.

The embedded internal algorithm of the first electronic circuit 34 is based on a random pattern relative to a normal pattern, each succeeding day being treated as a new random pattern relative to the prior day's random pattern, and each thirty six minute period being randomly elongated or shortened per the internal programming of said first electronic circuit 34. Sometimes the apparatus may light up or beep in a staccato fashion, indicating that the smoker should smoke a cigarette without inhaling.

The preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIG. 3 utilizes substantially the same random timing system algorithms as disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2, but configured to be integrated into a software program 72 means that is installed onto a computer 74 means. Said software program 72 may be programmed in C++, visual basic, or any other common programming language, and may launch a program display field 76 on a computer display 78 means, requesting that a user type in the number of cigarette packs, or individual cigarettes that he smokes in a day, in user input field 80.

For a first time period 82, the user may click a user input graphic button 83 presented in program display field 76, on said display 78 every time a cigarette is smoked. Starting at the completion of said first time period 82, a second time period 88 begins during which, a graphic message image 84 will take the forefront in said program display field 76 on said display 78 telling the user as an example, “Smoke a Cigarette Now”. This image 84 may fade slightly so that a user can keep working on a computer 74, however, it may not fade away completely until the user clicks a close display graphic button 86—which may only be accessible after 5 minutes—and may also be presented on said program display field 76. Said graphic message image 84 may be displayed at intervals that are separated by a random number of minutes, the total length of each of said random number of minutes representing a portion of the total number of waking minutes in a day divided by the total number of cigarettes smoked in a day by a user of said software program 72.

As an example of the randomized timing and activities suggested by said graphic message image 84, a user may be instructed to smoke three cigarettes in chain smoking fashion, but without inhaling, and then smoke another cigarette twenty minutes later while inhaling deeply. Further, the “time to smoke” cues that said software program 72 generates may also be transmitted to a user through an electrical link 89, such as a modem, and any communication means 90 available, such as cell phones, pagers, or television. After 90 days the user of said software program 72 may never be able to smoke again.

It is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and that various modifications may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 

1. A habit cessation method for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising: an individual determining the average number of cigarettes said individual smokes in a day; said individual choosing a certain period of time following which said individual would prefer to stop smoking; said individual then continuing to smoke substantially the same number of cigarettes every day for said certain period of time, but making to sure to smoke said cigarettes at random time intervals every day relative to any time intervals when cigarettes were smoked in any previous day.
 2. A habit cessation apparatus according to claim 1 that presents the equivalent of said random time intervals to said individual through any visual or auditory means such as a cell phone, pager, beeper, written word, or any other physical means.
 3. A habit cessation apparatus for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising in combination: a case body means configured to contain a first electronic circuit means configured to generate a series of random output signal patterns relative to a non random signal pattern; at least one input signal means electrically coupled to said first electronic circuit means; at least one second electronic circuit means electrically coupled to, and configured to be controlled by said first electronic circuit means, and capable of outputting voltage pulses; at least one visual or auditory signaling means electrically coupled to, and configured to be activated by said second electronic circuit means; and at least one power source coupled to said first electronic circuit
 4. The habit cessation device of claim 3, further comprising a data analysis portion of said first electronic circuit, which analyzes inputs from said input signal means, and is configured to generate random electrical signals to said second electronic circuit, communicable to a user via said visual or auditory signaling means.
 5. The habit cessation device of claim 3, wherein said signaling means is a light which illuminates coincident with the time for random consumption of said habit forming substance.
 6. The habit cessation device of claim 3, wherein said signaling means is a sound-producing element, said sound-producing element producing a sound coincident with the time for usage of said habit forming substance.
 7. A habit cessation device useful for the cessation of the use of a habit-forming substance comprising in combination: a computer means; a computer readable medium operable on said computer means; a visual display means electrically coupled to said computer means; said computer readable medium configured to present a first graphic message banner on said display means requesting that a user type in the number of cigarette packs, or individual cigarettes that he smokes in a day, and providing at least one first graphic button to be activated every time a cigarette is smoked for a first period of time; at least one second graphic message banner configured to take the forefront on said display means indicating to said user that “It's Time To Smoke”; said second graphic message banner appearing at random intervals during a second period of time, and said second graphic message banner configured to appear for a third period of time at which point said user may click a second graphic button which may close said second graphic message banner completely; and said second period of time being significantly longer than either said first or third periods of time.
 8. A habit cessation device according to claim 7 where said second graphic message banner is displayed at intervals that are separated by a random number of minutes, the total length of each of said random number of minutes representing a portion of the total number of waking minutes in a day divided by the total number of cigarettes smoked in a day. 